Carla Mendonça, born in Coventry to a pair of dancers, has roots that blend English and Portuguese heritage. Her mother, an English performer, met her Portuguese father while dancing in Lisbon, after which the family settled in England. Among her siblings, her brother Jorge made headlines as the youngest Colonel in the British Army at the age of 36.
Carla pursued her passion for the performing arts at the University of Warwick, where she earned a degree in Dramatic Arts and Theatre Studies in 1985. She initially embarked on a theatrical career, but she gained widespread recognition for her roles in television comedies. Notably, she starred in the popular children’s shows "My Dad's the Prime Minister" (2003) and "My Parents Are Aliens" (1999), the latter of which aired for an impressive seven years, although she joined the cast after its inaugural season.
In 2006, when ITV opted to cut children's afternoon programming due to budget constraints, Carla and her co-star from "My Parents Are Aliens," Tony Gardner, led the charge in the Save Kids' TV campaign, though their efforts did not succeed. More recently, she has appeared in two seasons of "So Awkward" for Channel X/CBBC and is gearing up to film a fourth season. Her stage work includes performances with esteemed companies like the RSC and the Royal Exchange. Carla is married to actor and writer Clive Mantle.
